As
author and maintainer of this web site. I do not save, retain, or
sell any email addresses of those who email me. Should you not
get a reply from me, please send again, I might have missed it in my
spam catcher!

Changing the gas burner in
the fridgeThe RM4200/10
Electrolux Fridge in the WandererDometic

There
is a ruling, work like this should be done by a Corgi registered Technician!

Fridge & Kitchen

RM 4200/10 Fridge and control panel.

Fridge gas burner assembly, at the rear,
containing the gas nozzle.

Complete New Fridge Gas BurnerCompare with old picture on the left!

Top of New Fridge Gas Burner Assembly.[With the gas jet held in place with the
transit spring]

Old burner off Flue. Note position of gas
copper control tube and the white Piezo Igniter. Must
be assembled in the same way.

White container, Fridge Water Evaporator.

Gas Assembly Cowling. Placed in position
after gas assembly fitting.

Fridge Interior Gas Flame Viewer

Poor cooling on gas operation can be
attributed to the way the gas is burning in the Junkers gas assembly
at the back of the fridge. Pictures above show my assembly after 6
years in the Motorhome. It was time to change it. The cowling is
easily removed to view and check the gas assembly.

Replacement of the gas assembly can be
done by any confident and competent DIY mechanic. If you are unsure
about your ability, don't take a chance with gas. If you have it
changed, then my narrative can used as a check for you.

There is a ruling,
work like this should be done by a Corgi registered Technician!

I have seen instructions, for this type of
work, that the fridge has to be removed. This is not required if
after taking off the back wall vents, the base of the fridge can be
seen, then it's possible to be worked on easily.

To replace:

1. Take off the Electrolux vents on the
wall of the Motorhome, at the fridge back.

2. Remove the Gas assembly cowling by
removing the screw in the front and the screw at the back of the
flue. The back screw can accessed by way of the cut away half moon
position on the cowling and a long phillips magnetic screwdriver is used.

3. Remove the screw securing the 'Pipe'
bowl burner to the Flue.

4. Hold Securely the gas burner assembly,
to enable removal of the gas pipe, then unscrew the gas pipe nut from
the gas assembly carefully.

[ Remember to turn
off the gas at the cylinder, in the gas locker, before starting. ]

5. Pull the gas burner assembly gently
towards you. When in a convenient position for viewing, check and
note the positions of the copper control pipe and the white Piezo
igniter, which are clamped very accurately inside the burning
chamber. [ If the assembly is too tight do not move, use a mirror.]

6. Take off the clamp by unscrewing
the clamp centre screw. Move the copper temperature control
copper pipe gently one side, then the white Piezo Igniter part one side.

6. Remove the old assembly making note of
the number marked on the gas jet. Compare it with the new one.

7. Replace the new assembly in reverse
order. Carefully placing the gas jet in position.

8. Ensure the copper pipe and Piezo
igniter are in a similar position inside the gas 'pipe' bowl burning
chamber as previous installation.Before fitting the copper control pipe
inside the burn chamber, clean the copper pipe area with sand paper.
This is the earth path for the Piezo Igniter and a good clean earth
path is required for the Piezo Igniter to give a good spark. The
earth path is also through the flue and burn bowl securing screw.
ensure this area is sand papered and bright, also use a new screw.
All to ensure a good earth path for the Piezo Igniter spark.

When refitting the burner to the gas pipe,
place some Gas sealing compound on the nut screw section to ensure a
gas tight seal.

After the above changes, I found the
fridge gas burner started immediately, and the gas control on the
fridge front could be released a lot earlier than before. The flame
must be larger as it can now be seen clearly in the tubed viewer
inside the fridge.

This repair was done again in July 2010,
due to the fridge gas function being hard to light. I also changed
the Piezo Red push button as the spark was rather feeble.The feeble spark was due to the burner
module passing the earth path through the fridge chimney. The Burner
module is secured to the chimney with one bolt. As this fixture was
rusty and corroded this in turn caused a resistance reducing the spark.If one has lighting the gas problems then
perhaps cleaning off the corrosion in this area might put off the
cost of replacing the componentsCost of parts 2010:

I have recently changed the gas flame on
my fridge and I could not see an easy way to change the 230volt
element! See my page www[.]ourwanderer[/]wan6.htm on gas burner replacement.

Regards,

Ted <tedthelad[at]bigfoot.com> wrote:

Brian,

It is a bit of a fiddle to get the old
element out - I managed this as follows:-

My 'chimney' has the insulation held in
place by a thin metal sheath.

This has a hole that both elements pass
through- The sheath has an overlapping seam.

I managed to gently prize open the top
half of this seam (from the hole up to the top and also removed the
top cap which is held by three small fold over clips.

I Pulled up on the element as I rotated
the sheath to enable the element to clear the inner flue pipe and out
it came.

When I replace it (assuming I can get one)
if the sheath overlapping cannot be put back properly, it should be
sufficient to wrap some copper wire round to hold it in place

(I am sure its only purpose is to
hold the insulation in place and maybe a bit of heat dissipation.

Ted

The 'Thin metal sheath' that Ted mentions
can be seen in my image below.

White container, Fridge Water Evaporator
'Gas Burner Flue Jacket'

Fridge Controls

After the gas assembly is complete then
the gas fridge function should now be checked. The controls on the
right of the fridge panel are seen below.

Place the gas control knob in the HIGH
position, press the knob for a count of 20, then press the red knob a
couple of times. the gas assembly flame should now be seen. Hold the
control knob down for about 15 seconds after you light the gas. This
is to allow the control valve at the flame head to take over and hold
the gas feed on.

If the flame is not seen at the viewing
tube, then it's possible there is air in the pipe and it must be
'Purged' out. To do this turn on the gas ring at the cooker, and
light the gas. This confirms gas is coming from the cylinder. Turn it
off after a short time.

Push the gas control knob on the fridge,
in the high position, and hold it there for 10 seconds, then press
the red knob. It should now alight. Hold the control knob in, again
for about 10 seconds where the gas flame should remain lit.

12Volt and 240VAC Controls

The controls on the left of the fridge
panel are seen above.

The RED button for the 12 Volt operation
would be turned on when the Motorhome is travelling. The 12Volt
operation does not have any variable control of the cooling. I have
found this button can be left in the ON position when the Motorhome
is stationary, as there is no volts coming from the starter battery
to operate the fridge. This is of course if the vehicle has a split
relay which controls the function. There is one on the Wanderer.

The GREEN button is used for 240Volts AC
and used when the Motorhome is on a camp site where Mains electric is
available to operate the fridge. On mains the fridge has variable
control of the cooling. This button can also be left ON when
travelling as there's no mains to turn on.

The numbered control is the 230Volts AC
temperature thermostat.

Fridge Data Plate

Rescued Data
Plate before enthusiastic cleaning eliminated the information. I've
included it so others will be able to take note of theirs and enable
spares to be obtained from the information.

Fridge data plate with type number

Recommended Operating Instructions

The fridge in the
'Wanderer' can be run on 230Volts AC, 12Volts DC, or LPG gas. The
controls for operating the different methods are described and
illustrated above, on the 'Fridge Control' sketch and the '12Volt and
240VAC Controls sketch.'

If the flame goes out on
gas operation, the safety device which is placed over the gas flame
monitors this, and will turn off the gas supply. Should this happen
check the gas supply at the cylinder and repeat the start up
procedure. It has been found if the gas is low, this causes a low
pressure which will not light the gas even though the gas grill will activate!

In my 'Wanderer' it is
fitted with a RM4200-S fridge. To light the gas requires the red
press button to be depressed to create a spark at the burner head.

To monitor the flame,
viewing is done at the fridge tube interior, at the bottom back.

STARTING THE FRIDGECaution: Only use one
supply source at a time.

LPG operation. See the
above sketches for the controls.

After a period of layoff
the gas pipes need to be purged.

To start fridge gas:

a. Open the gas supply
valves, at the cylinder and the valve close to the device. If the gas
cylinder is low, it is possible it will not operate.

b. Check the RED 12volt
DC and the GREEN 230Volt AC switches are off.

c. Turn the gas control
knob to maximum.

d. Press the gas contol
knob and hold it in position.

e. Press the RED knob about
3 times, to activate the Piezo Igniter at the flame Head.

f. Check the flame viewer
at the bottom back of the fridge.

g. If alight, old the
control on for another 10 seconds, then release it. Check the flame
holds on! If not repeat the proceedure.

To turn off the gas
control, just turn the gas control knob to the off position. In the
off position the knob will release it self out.

To start 230Volts AC mains operation:

a. Turn the Knob on the
left hand side of the control panel, next to the GREEN switch,
to the highest position.

b. Turn on the GREEN switch.

To start 12Volts DC. [ Used
when engine running only]

a. Making sure Gas and
Mains are off, turn on the RED switch.

There is NO thermostat
control for the 12Volt operation.

In WINTER it is advised to
fit the Electrolux winter vent covers to ensure the fridge coolants,
close to the vents, do not freeze up!

During layoffs it is also
advisable to ensure the winter vent covers are fitted.

When travelling make sure
the door retaining catch is secure, by pressing down the knob at the
top of the door. It has two positions one for travelling and the
other is used to keep the door ajar during lay up periods.

If the door is closed
during layup periods, the fridge will take on a smell which is hard
to eliminate.

At the interior, top back
of the fridge, can be seen cooling fins. Make sure these are not
blocked up with stored food, as this will reduce the effiency of the
fridge and also cause hot spots which melt food.

When defrosting the fridge,
do not use hot appliances to do this. The plastice walls will melt or
be mishapen making the fridge un-useable.

Clean the fridge with
little Bicarbonate of soda in warm water, approximately One
teaspoonful to a bowl of warm water.

Never use detergents,
scouring products or strong smelling polishes. The plastic will hold
the odour and taint the food.

Check the following points
from Dometic, should the fridge not operate satisfactorily.

During winter draughts from
around the fridge are a continuous problem, and discussed in
Motorhome Forums many times.

The problem is easily
resolved, but I think should be done by the coach builder in the
first place.

My solution was to place at
the rear of the fridge, on the base plate, a right angled horizontal
piece which spans the bottom of the fridge. On this piece I placed a
window draught protector strip. See the pictures below.

At the vertical edges, left
and right I placed more window draught protector.

At the top, in recent years
the coachbuilders have noted the pleas of the fridge manufacturers
and placed a deflector plate to deflect the hot air produced by the
fridge. In fact mine has a sponge piece fitted to seal the deflector
plate eliminating the top draught. The problem is, this is stuck on,
and when the fridge is hot this piece slides down and opening the
back to a draught!

I have screwed a plastic
piece across this sponge to hold it in place.

Bottom of the fridge secured against a draught

Vertical sides secured against a draught

Plastic strip fitted to secure the draught
protector fitted by the coachbuilder

The gaps mentioned above are illustrated
by red arrows, and should be filled to eliminate interior draughts.

These
answers give you some ideas as to the most speedy and cost effective
solutions. We have tried to make these explanations as simple and as
non-technical as possible. If you cant understand them you will
need to get professional help. A few words of caution.

Before
you start:

If your
Electrolux refrigerator is less than one year old it is still under
warranty (proof of purchase required). In this case we recommend you
call out a service engineer who will repair it free of charge.
Contact us for information on your local Electrolux Service Force.

Make
sure your caravan and with it your Electrolux refrigerator are not
tilted excessively, within 6degrees, otherwise the fridge will not
work even if everything else is in perfect condition.

Make
sure you have the correct energy sources available that you are
experiencing problems with.

--------------------------------------------------------

I am
having problems running my fridge on any energy source...

My
fridge does not cool at all

Are all
your energy sources available!

Check
the fins at the back, top of the cooling system; they should be hot.
If the fridge has been on for some time there should be some heat
coming out of the top vent. To be sure remove the top vent and
carefully feel the fins at the top of the fridge.

Are
the fins hot?

Fins
hot: IMPORTANT, Is the fridge tilted excessively?

No

Make
sure the fridge is not tilted excessively; if not, the cooling system
is probably faulty and needs replacing. Contact us and we will help
you to contact Electrolux Service Force in your area.

Yes

Park
your caravan on a level surface and see if your refrigerator works.
If not, start again from top.

Fins at
the rear, not hot: The fridge is not getting any energy, whether gas
or AC volts.. The problem could be a combination of problems on all
energy sources, but most likely the cooling unit has failed and needs
to be replaced. Please Contact us

The
freezer compartment seems to work, but not the fridge...

The
reason is likely to be a weak cooling unit, but it may also be
possible that the evaporator plate in
the fridge is loose. Try to fasten the
screws with an Alan key; if that does not help, take the evaporator
plate off completely. There should be nothing between the evaporator
plate and the mastic behind it.

My
fridge normally works ok but not when the weather is hot...

Feel
the surface over the fridge, normally a worktop or a sink:

The
worktop is hot or warm...

The
fridge is not sealed in properly. If you would like to try to fix
this yourself we can send you a DIY article "Hot worktop cure article".

The
worktop is not hot ...

Try
running the fridge on other energy sources. If the fridge still does
not work properly and the fridge is level enough the cooling unit is
probably faulty and needs replacing.

My
fridge works ok in the UK but not when I go to France, Italy or Spain...

I am
experiencing problems on all energy sources...

See Q1

The
problem only occurs in mains operation...

This is
sometimes a problem in Southern Europe where the electrical supply
regulations are not so stringent as in the UK so there is sometimes
insufficient voltage. You will need to run the fridge on gas.

------------------------------------------------------------------

I am
having problems running my fridge on ...

...on
12 volt

Any
fridge takes a while to cool down and your caravan fridge is no
exception. So you should pre-cool your fridge on mains or gas before
your journey, using the 12-Volt to hold the temperature down.

The
12-Volt is designed to operate only when the engine is running in the
base vehicle or tow car. You need to make sure that there is a
12-Volt supply and that it is 12 Volts at the fridge. If you have a
suitable instrument measure the voltage across the heating element.
If there is less than 12 Volts there is a problem with the supply. It
could be a high resistance (dirty) connection. Alternatively the
supply wire could be too small. As a guide it must be at least 2.5 sq
mm; more in the case of long runs. You should consult your handbook
for more information.

If you
are sure the fridge does not work properly on 12 Volt, but does work
OK on 230v and gas and there is at least 12 Volts across the heating
element it could be that the element itself is faulty.

The
technical way to check  pull the fridge partly out of its
recess and disconnect the 12 Volt supply. Now measure the resistance
of the element. It should be approximately 1.5 ohms. This need not be
a precise measurement, if it has failed it is likely to be either a
short or open circuit.

The
non-technical way to check  Make sure the fridge has been
switched off for at least a few hours. Now remove the top vent and
make sure the top of the cooling system is cold. If you have a
caravan you will need to connect it up to your tow car. Now switch on
the 12-Volt and start the engine. Leave it running for at least 30
minutes. Now check the top of the cooling unit. If it is still cold
there is a problem on the fridges 12-Volt circuit or the
element itself.

...on gas

I
cannot light the gas...

First
it is a good idea to make sure that gas is getting to the fridge.
There should be a gas cock in the supply pipe adjacent to the fridge,
make sure this is turned on. Now light one of the burners on the hob.
This confirms gas is getting into the supply pipes. It also helps
clear some of the air from the pipes if the fridge has not been
switched on for some time. If your gas
bottle is below a quarter, it's possible there is not enough pressure
to ensure a steady flame.

Next go
trough the lighting procedure:

1.
Piezo Ignition

2.
Electronic Ignition

Piezo Igniter:1. Set
the temperature control to a mid-setting.
Now push the knob and hold it in (this is the flame failure device).
Hold in for around five seconds. The flame is viewed through the
observation glass. At the bottom back, in my fridge.

2. Now
depress the Piezo igniter rapidly three or four times in rapid
succession. Continue holding in the flame failure device and look
through the viewing glass to see if the flame is alight. If it is,
then hold in the knob for about twenty seconds and release it. The
flame should stay alight. If it continues to flame this can be
confirmed by placing your hand over the outside vent, it will feel hot.

If it
goes out repeat the procedure. If the flame will still not stay
alight there is a problem with the flame failure device or the
thermocouple. The repair is a professional job. If you are a good DIY
person all it needs is to replace the piezo activator, cable and
ceramic sparker close to the flame.

If the
gas will not light at all, despite repeated attempts, there is a
problem with the burner. The repair is a professional job. You should
ensure that the gas system has a complete service. This involves
cleaning the gas central tube and burner and replacing the jet (this
should always be replaced, never cleaned, as there is a risk of
enlarging the orifice).

On my
fridge the flame is very difficult to see. By coincidence I went
outside and found the vent to be hot, indicating the fridge was
working on gas, even though the flame was not seen.[ Changing the gas
burner has cured this problem. See above.]

The
other problem might be the chimney needs cleaning - access is usually
from the upper ventilator grill and also removing the exhaust outlet
cover. The top half of the exhaust pipe is a slanting 'T' shape and
when removed from the fixed tube of the insulated 'chimney, there
should be a wire bent over as a hook laying in a slit in the tube.
Pull this up and down a few times (on the other end is a twisted
piece of flat steel that causes the hot gasses to swirl as they rise
- this also 'sweeps' the chimney when raised and lowered) - you
should only have to do this no more than once a year, maybe only
every 3 or 4 years.[
This excellent advice came from Ted C. ]

Electronic
Igniter:

1) Set
the temperature control to a mid-setting.

2) Now
push the knob and hold it in for around five seconds (this is the
flame failure device).

3) Now
switch on the electronic igniter. Continue holding in the flame
failure device and look through the viewing glass to see if the flame
is alight. If it is then hold in the knob for about twenty seconds
and release it. The flame should stay alight.

Note:
do not switch off the Electronic Igniter; it will automatically
relight the flame in case it blows out.

If the
flame does not stay alight repeat the procedure. If the flame will
still not stay alight there is a problem with the flame failure
device or the thermocouple. The repair is a professional job.

If the
gas will not light at all, despite repeated attempts, there is a
problem with the burner. The repair is a professional job. You should
ensure that the gas system has a complete service. This involves
cleaning the gas central tube and burner and replacing the jet (this
should always be replaced, never cleaned, as there is a risk of
enlarging the orifice).

There
is a funny gas smell or there is black soot outside of the blue...

There
is a problem with the burner which should be given a complete service.

...on mains

...only
when I am in France, Italy or Spain...

This is
sometimes a problem in Southern Europe where the electrical supply
regulations are not so stringent as in the UK so there is sometimes
insufficient voltage. You will need to run the fridge on gas.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The
fridge works satisfactorily on mains but not on gas...

There
is a problem with the burner which should be given a complete service.

A
common fault is the 'chimney' becoming sooted up - this is a small
(about 1" dia) tube at the top rear of fridge that should be
accessible by removing the upper external vent (you DO have 2 vents
don't you?) - hanging over the top edge of the chimney should be a
piece of wire (about 1/16th) bent into a hook so that it stayes in
place - on the other end is a piece of twisted metal that creates a
vortex for the hot gases - this piece of metal also acts as a flue
brush - just pull the wire up and ease it back down a few times and
you will 'Sweep' any 'Sooty' deposits loose and the flue will be clear.

Circulating Fan For the Fridge

The fridge
operates by absorbing heat and dispersing it at the rear, which is
then vented outside.

On a very hot day
in Spain, the air circulating in at the bottom vent is hot. The
circulating top vent temperature can be little different. This causes
hot spots, inside the fridge, and melting at these points.

Back of fridge air flow.

The solution is to
ensure the vent circulating plate is secure and does not vent into
the van interior.

In the Wanderer
there is a sponge piece stuck on to ensure hot air is not vented into
the interior of the van. It keeps falling off as the glue melts from
the fridge heat! I have screwed an aluminium strip horizontally
across the sponge to secure it.

The other solution
for poor circulation, is to add a fan at the back of the fridge, to
the top vent and force the air out. The fan is controlled by a
heat sensor which controls the fan on/off state.

There are one or
two solutions advertised by Motorhome dealers in the UK. I chose this method.

Maplin's the well
known electronics dealer is selling a Velleman-kit MK138. This
is a module with a kit of parts for constructing, to control the fan.
Priced at £4.99 in Mar. 2003.

The fan is
from Maplin's computer parts working at 12volts. This cost me
£4.99. The construction is quite easy, even for those who
rarely pick up a soldering iron, and the kit is of a high standard.

With the
module complete it only needs 7 wires to complete the
thermostatically controlled fan. An on/off switch was incorporated,
for those quiet nights when the fan would seem noisy. See illustrations below:

Cables connected to module

Completed Module

Schematic Drawing of Module

Fan Switch fitted on side wall

Computer derived exhaust fan, from
Maplin's, which I have used.

The above fan and electronic circuit, is a
bit 'over the top.' I have recently replaced this with a computer fan
which has a thermostat enclosed. It can be recognised by having a
small 'Blob' type component at its centre.

I have located the Negative temperature
resistor[ 10kNTC] near the back of the fan on a bracket. The wires of
this component are a little brittle and liable to snap with vibration
experienced in the Motorhome. So I made up a base plate to secure it,
as seen in my drawing below. As this is a key component it must
be secured. See sketch below.

During our tour of the continent in the
summer of 2003, it was found that the NTC was too sensitive. The fan
would come on at the slightest movement of warm air. As the variable
adjustment was at it's maximum travel, this phenomenon could not accommodated.

Also D2 failed, cutting off voltage to the
module, as a stop gap this was short circuited.

A modification of the components were done
and this page updated.

June 2003. The modification was;

1. D2 has been replaced with a 1N4004
diode which will allow more current to pass.2. R6 Changed to 100kohms and R5 to
56Kohms. This has brought the Variable Temperature control to the Mid
position and reduced the sensitivity.

There is another alternative which I am
considering. This eliminates the complexity of the installation.

Maplin's are now selling a computer
Thermally controlled fan. Part No: A12AB. This has a built in
temperature sensor with a variable fan speed. It increases it's speed
as the temperature rises.

The computer derived fan was so quiet that
I had to feel the air flow from the vent to ensure it was operating!
No disturbed nights sleep with this one. Having said that it turned
off automatically at night!

Having returned from South of France, Sept
2005, where the temperatures never came below 20C, the fan did not
behave as intended. Most unreliable! I shall modify it and update
this page when completed.

Update:Regarding the above comment, this was due
to some of my soldering dry joints.

FRIDGE
SPRING CHECK

THE
ELECTROLUX RM4200

Spring time is
the time of year when I start checking the Motorhome.

I made a
special check of the Fridge this year[ 2006 ], only to find it did
not freeze as expected.

The fridge
operates on 12Volts from the engine while running. Gas when not
running, and when no mains voltage available. Also on 230VAC volts
from a hook-up.

The 12volts,
230 volts and the gas function is to produce heat in the fridge. This
heat warms up a cocktail of liquid chemicals at the back of the
fridge. These chemicals, of which Ammonia is one, then circulate
through tubes. One set of tubes go into the fridge to the freezer
compartment. This circulating chemical absorbs the heat from the
fridge compartment cooling it.

Using my Infra
Red Thermometer, I found from a resting non operating condition of
9degrees C, within 1/2 an hour it had reduced to -8degrees C.

Things to
check, make sure the Motorhome is level.

My fridge has
only a 3degree tolerance, so how the van is levelled is important;

1. Check the
voltage is going to the 12Volt element when the engine is running.

2. Hook up the
230VAC mains and check the voltage is reaching the 230v AC element.

3. Check the
fridge gas alights and remains on.

If you find the
above checks are not functioning then this is how I did it.

I assume the
reader has some knowledge of how to use a volt meter.

Para. 1. To
carry out this check.

In the engine
compartment, the 12volt battery switched relays are usually installed
by the Coach builder. Check the voltage from one of the relays.

When the engine
starts have you battery volts to the fridge?

If so turn,
return to the fridge.

Check the
freezer compartment and ensure it is getting colder.

If not, turn
off the engine, remove the screws that secure the fridge to the frame.

Take off the
vents at the outside wall of the Motorhome.

Remove the
tubular chimney vent which can be seen on the top of a aluminium
tubular casing to the outside.

Now ease the
fridge out of its frame for about 150mm, until the wiring at
the top of the fridge can be seen.

Restart the engine.

Check the
12volts at a junction terminal. It is wise to turn off the mains
while doing this. As in my Motorhome, the Mains voltage is received
direct from the fuse box.

If you have
volts at this point, leave the engine running, then make a note of
the cable covering, feeding the 12volts.

Go to the back
of the fridge and feel the point where the noted cable covering goes
into the aluminium tubular casing. It should start to feel warm. If
it is, then that 12volt element is OK. I used an Infra Red
Thermometer which shows the change of heat instantly. This saves
scorched tips of fingers. If there is no change then a fault has to
be considered.

Turn off the engine.

Return to the
junction where the 12volt input is, Take off one terminal and do a
resistance check of the element. It
should be approximately 1.5 ohms.
If it is open circuit then you have a fault. Check the cable feed is
OK before condemning the element.

Para 2.

Turn on the
mains and check the 230VAC is present at the junction terminal.

If it is, as
before, note the cable covering the mains cable and go to back of the
fridge and note where this cable is going into the aluminium tubular
casing. Check whether the area around the cable is getting warm. If
it is then no problem. Check the freezer compartment and ensure it is
getting colder.

If not, then
you might have a problem.

Turn off the
voltage at the mains switch box and do a resistance check of the
mains voltage element. If none then you have a faulty 230voltsAC
element. Check the cables are OK before condemning the element.

Para 3.

Checking you
hand book and using the instructions on how to light the gas. Go to
the rear of the fridge and ensure the gas remains on. i.e. a flame
can be seen.

Carry out the
temperature checks in the freezer compartment, ensure it is getting colder.

If after
carrying out the above checks and the voltages are correct and the
gas is lit and stable, and the freezer compartment does not get
colder, then its possible the chemicals in the tubes are not
stable with perhaps air bubbles stopping the circulation.

If so, then the
fridge has to be removed, and the favourite method used by the repair
man is:

1. Turn the
fridge upside down. Leave for an hour.

2. After the
hour, turn the fridge upright. Then leave overnight.

3. Next
morning, theres no need to install the fridge for this test.
Level out the fridge horizontally and vertically.

Connect a spare
cable to the mains element and plug into the mains.

Check the
freezer compartment resting temperature. 1/2 an hour later you should
see freezer compartment changing and getting much cooler.

If after all
that it does not cool then you have a problem! It is time to spend money!

HINT:
When you remove the fridge, make a note where the cables are located.
Make a drawing or use your digital camera. There's nothing worse than
getting back to the job at a late date to wonder are the cables
correctly fitted!When the fridge
is 1/2 way out, you have to remove the gas pipe. Ensure the gas is
turned off before doing this.

When assembling
later, place some jointing compound on the threads of the gas joint
nut. Not too much or it could be carried to the gas burner and block
the gas jet.